Gym Leader Series 3 Aftershock
by Blackjack Gabbiani
Summary: Trapped during an earthquake, a boy makes a decision about his future that will affect him in ways he never imagined


The boy groaned slightly, becoming aware of the wetness against his face. Opening his eyes, he saw his Persian standing over him, fine fur matted and dirty.  
  
"...persian?" he whispered, raising his hand to the cat's flank. "Persian...what happened?"  
  
As soon as he asked, he remembered. They had been walking through the Rock Tunnel, nearly to Lavender, when the earthquake struck.  
  
He thought he had known power. After all, he grew up surrounded by privledge, in the wealthest city in Kanto. But all the money in the world couldn't stop the raw might of the earth itself.  
  
He checked himself over, and besides a bump on his head, deemed himself unharmed. Sitting up, he turned back to Persian. "How long have we been down here?" he asked, wincing at his sudden headache.  
  
The cat tapped the ground once.  
  
"One day?"  
  
It nodded.  
  
"That's not so bad..." He looked around the cave. The ceiling was dotted with tiny holes, letting in light, but none of them big enough to climb through, and all too far out of reach anyway. "Have you heard anything else?"  
  
It shook its head, purring sadly and nuzzling his side. "Nyrow..."  
  
"Well...not much we can do now." He sat back and opened his backpack. "Want some dinner?"  
  
The hair on the cat's back stood on end, and it hissed. The boy looked around as the ground started to rumble again. An aftershock was upon them.  
  
He shielded the Persian as best he could, bracing himself for whatever may occur.  
  
The next day was spent in much the same manner, with aftershocks preventing either of them from sleeping or calming down. The boy and Persian huddled in the corner, and had anyone else been there he would have had them convinced that he was not scared. "We're here because it's the safest place to be," he would have said, gesturing to the sturdy shelf they sat under.  
  
But the truth was he was frightened. He was just beginning his journey, really, and to be confronted with that much power was like a nightmare.  
  
And he was drawn to it. "...Mother always told me the best way to get over your fears is to command them," he told Persian, petting it with a blank look in his eyes. "If I command the earth itself, I will have nothing to be afraid of."  
  
Persian nuzzled against him, purring softly as if to reassure him that they would be rescued. But it wasn't quite sure itself.  
  
Another day went by, and the supplies from the backpack were getting low. He sighed, rationing the remaining food and giving a strip of dried fruit to Persian. "...I've been thinking about something, Persian..." he muttered, voice raw from not speaking for several hours.  
  
It looked up at him, resting its head on his leg.  
  
"If we get out of here, I'm going to train Ground types."  
  
"Myrorw?"  
  
He stands slowly, Persian rising as well. "I'm not going to let it happen like this."  
  
The ground started to rumble in yet another aftershock, disturbingly strong given the amount of time that had passed since the quake itself. But he held his ground.  
  
"I'm not going to let it end!" he shouted, bracing his legs. "I won't give in!" Rocks fell from the ceiling but he did not move. "I'll be the master of Ground types!" A fragile part of the wall gave way. "I'll make the world shake! I, Giovanni, swear it!"  
  
As quickly as it had been disrupted, the cave was still, save for the fading echo of his vow. Persian yowled loudly, and he looked over.  
  
The rocks that had blocked their way in the initial quake had been dislodged by the aftershock, and the end of the cave was in sight. From there, Lavender was but a few miles away.  
  
He fell to his knees. "...W...we're free..." he whispered, leaning against Persian. "We're saved..." Persian purred happily, starting to head for the exit.  
  
A small shadow popped up ahead of them, the silhouette of a Sandshrew.  
  
The words of his promise to himself resonated in Giovanni's mind, and a slight smirk crossed his face. "Persian, go!" 


End file.
